Taipei Travel

Good introduction to life on Taiwan before the Han Chinese showed up. Don’t miss the 2 videos. — the 3-D one in the theatre and the one on the video monitor. Get the combo ticket for the National Palace Museum down the street and save a few bucks.

Very interesting museum with most of the information in English. You can buy a combi ticket for the NPM (5min walk away) for NT$400, saving you NT$150 which is a pretty good deal. We got there late in the afternoon, so we visited the Aboriginals Museum first since they close at 5pm and the NPM is open until 9pm on Fri and Sat. This way we also avoided the bigger crowds in the NPM.

There you will receive a lot of information about the interesting life of the Abomosa Aborigines. Their conception of human origin, the universe and the formation of society. The speakers are enthusiastic and inspire visitors.

This small (3 floors + entry level) museum located across the street and to the left of the National Palace Museum tells the story of the native peoples of Farmosa. Stop at the map and overview behind the admission's desk for a good overview of the location and variety of aborigines. On the third level you'll find handwoven textiles (backstrap loom) and costumes of various groups. Pottery and household & daily use items dominate level 2. And don't miss the basement level that has both a special exhibit and ritual type objects with good videos. It's quite striking how many ways and material culture objects that are shared with other South Pacific islanders, such as in the Philippines and Indonesia. There are labels in English, and a book/gift shop on the ground level, but no food available (many small eateries are nearby). Enoy!

Opened in 1994, this small, privately owned museum is a delightful way to learn about the indigenous tribes of Taiwan. It provides visitors with an understanding of the aboriginal culture through various displays that include People and the Natural Environment; Livelihood, Utensils and Dwellings; Clothing, Decorations and Culture; and Belief and Rituals. The size of the building, and numbers of displays is absolutely perfect. There definitely is no sensory overload or weariness that is associated with larger museums. While I rarely enjoy visiting museums on tours, I truly enjoyed this one, as did my spouse. I am thankful that our guide took brought us here. Admission if free with a National Palace Museum ticket.